This year has been phenomenal for metal enthusiasts of all stripes. Ross and have already written about some of them. This summer, Roadrunner Records artists Machine Head and Trivium will add to the growing list of superb releases in 2011.

Machine Head

After releasing The Blackening, a modern metal masterpiece, Machine Head are finally back in the studio to record their next album. I know these guys take inspiration from Metallica but could they avoid the long wait between albums? At any rate, the band has released an “advance mix” of their new track “Locust”. Give it a listen:

And we’re back. As you can tell, “Locust” is a solid if standard Machine Head track. There are plenty of crushing riffs, slinky clean guitars, and harmonized solos to keep their fans happy. The band has not announced a release date for the album but Locust is available through your favorite digital retailer.

Trivium

Ahh Trivium, I remember fondly the nights I spent learning this band’s riffs in high school. While I don’t find myself listening to the band as much anymore, their new teaser track, “In Waves” has planted its hooks in my brain. Check it out:

This track isn’t groundbreaking. Trivium don’t really wow the listener with their guitar work; for that see Shogun and Ascendancy. Rather, this track delivers on something that their music has sometimes lacked: songwriting. Catchy, bouncing and melodic, “In Waves” is a great single for their upcoming album of the same name. The band announce on their that the album will be released August 9th and the tracklisting follows:

01. Capsizing The Sea
02. In Waves
03. Inception Of The End
04. Watch The World Burn
05. Dusk Dismantled
06. Black
07. Built To Fall
08. Caustic Are the Ties That Bind
09. A Skyline’s Severance
10. Forsake Not the Dream
11. Chaos Reigns
12. Of All These Yesterdays
13. Leaving This World Behind

Both Trivium and Machine Head will be on this summer’s Rockstar Mayhem festival which is perfect if you love metal, getting sunburn, and ugly American metal heads.